From: [Teacher] < [Teacher]@mpls.k12.mn.us> Greeting Colleagues, With school closings, "fresh starts" in place and contract negotiations underway the time is ripe to look at implementing best hiring practices across the district. I strongly urge each of us to express our support for change to our colleagues, MFT, the administration, and the school board. To be the most effective, hiring practices for MPS staff would specifically serve two purposes: The goal of building and maintaining a school staff should be to maintain the integrity of the educational philosophy and programming at each school. The district has a variety of educational programs on offer to our families: Open, Contemporary, Fundamental, Montessori, International Baccalaureate, Immersion, Native Language Literacy, foci of Magnet programs, etc. To acknowledge and nurture the unique aspects of these very different educational programs it is imperative that the hiring process is one of interview and select for all schools - done by the principal and an interviewing team from their school. An interview and select process also provides greater opportunity for staff members to become strong members of an educational team where their strengths and educational philosophy are aligned with the mission and vision of the school as well as its particular educational programming. Teachers should have the opportunity to seek positions that they can fully support with body, soul and best practice. This builds a greater sense of professionalism for the individual teacher, while simultaneously strengthening the educational experience for every child with whom the teacher works. This can only improve the morale of the teachers and hence their teaching. Interview and Select is a process that would be best for teachers and best for the educational programs across our district. Interview and select does not reduce the number of positions available to our staff, but rather allows a stronger alignment between staff and educational programming within the positions available across the district. This can only enhance and strengthen the educational experiences of every student in the district. I strongly urge anyone who supports the expansion of interview and select across the entire district to express your support. This is a crucial opportunity for us to improve the quality of education offered by Minneapolis Public Schools. We need to strengthen this message to those that are involved in the contract negotiations. For too long we have quietly watched as walls have been built between management and the teachers. Let's join our efforts to truly take a brave step forward to help our students, families and community - and ourselves as teaching professionals. Interview and select would enhance the educational life of students, staff and our families. Please forward this message to kindred spirits. We need to share our vision. [Teacher name, position] |